January 17, 2014

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Lining Up

LPOD-Jan17-14.jpg
image by Richard Bosman, Netherlands

It's so easy to be seduced by the dramatic Aristarchus Crater and Schröter's Valley that other features in this view are often neglected. Yet Richard's image immediately screamed out to me, "Look, the southernmost peaks of the Harbinger Mountains are in a straight line that is nearly aligned with the front of the Aristarchus Plateau!" Most lunar scientists believe that the Aristarchus Plateau was uplifted, perhaps by part of the mass of lava that erupted as voluminous lava flows from Schröter's Valley, or as large ash deposits from the Cobra Head. I said previously that the Harbinger Mountains were probably also uplifted by an influx of magma, that here manifested itself by the magnificent family of Prinz Rilles. But noticing that the Plateau and the Mountains are aligned seems to make stronger the likelihood that both were uplifted. If you extend a line from Herodotus, through the middle of Aristarchus, pass the south rim of Prinz and along the Mountain peaks it goes straight to the center of Imbrium. On the other side of Imbrium is a major radial feature that is a linear depression - the Alpine Valley. Is it possible that the impact could somehow cause radial uplift as well?

Chuck Wood

Technical Details
Jan 13, 2014. C14.

Related Links
21st Century Atlas charts 21 & 28.
Richard's Astro Fotografie website

Yesterday's LPOD: Red Ghost On a Deserted Road, Moon Overhead

Tomorrow's LPOD: Do You Have a Favorite Feature?



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